DeSantis received $25,000 from a dark money non-profit funded by FPL in the 2018 election cycle, according to reporting from the Miami Herald. Rooftop solar, while critical to fighting climate change, is a threat to the traditional utility business model. One person affiliated with Grow United is Abbie MacIver, who formerly worked for Energy Fairness, a group that encourages policymakers to consider the cost of energy choices, as well as their benefits. Last year, McClure sent a letter to state regulators at the Florida Public Service Commission citing the result and urging it to update its net-metering rule. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas emitted by human activities, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and electricity production accounts for 25% of the greenhouse gases emitted in the United States in 2019. "It's a 24-hour day job. Do you need this bus to transport this many people, and do you need it to be this large? she asked hypothetically. Today, FPL said, two-thirds of its power comes from natural gas, followed by nearly 20% nuclear, 4% solar and almost 3% coal, which comes from a plant NextEra partially owns out of state.. Bradley, who received Florida Power & Lights draft bill, is a first-term senator who is close to Senate leadership and chairs the Community Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on Congressional Reapportionment. As for Silagy's departure, Ketchum said, "It's a little earlier than Eric would've wanted to do it.". But the inclusion raises a complex but important question as 21st-century energy policy grapples with ways to further reduce carbon emissions as a climate-change doomsday clock continues to tick-tock. At the same time, getting to 100% elimination of greenhouse gas emissions for the energy sector is very hard to do with just renewables. Learn More About FPL News Company Careers Environment Community Donate to Care To Share Rates and Your Bill About Energy Energy My Way Ensuring Reliability Clean Energy Solar Electric Vehicles Power Disturbances Safety Partner Resources Supplier Home and Login PIC Login Quick Links Start, Stop, Move Find My Account Number Pay Online Support Categories Billing & Payments My Account Start, Stop, Move Programs Business Customer Save Money & Energy Power Related Concerns Using FPL.com General Support Virtual Chat Most Common Links In May 2018, FPL's sprawling utility empire laid claim to both boundaries,reaching a pinnacle of power and influence rare even among the mega-corporations that call Florida home. So they opted instead for Mayor Stoddards electoral defeat and changing the makeup of the board, according to a 2018 memo from Dan Newman, a Matrix contractor who was similarly involved in the campaign against Rodrguez. The bill is just one front in a decade-long battle against the policy. We may need some portion of our energy to still come from fossil fuels, because there are industrial processes that are hard to electrify, she said. In the Northeast corner of the state, a young, first-termRepublican mayor in Jacksonville was eager to solicit proposals to privatize city services none more enticing than the city's century-old municipal utility, JEA, one of the largest public electric, water and sewer utilities in the United States and a prize FPL had long sought. Hours later, a story like the one the executive pitched appeared on The Capitolist. The financial entanglement between FPL and The Capitolist dated back to 2018, records leaked to the Miami Herald show, when an FPL vice president suggested the website publish a critical piece on DeSantis' Democratic opponent, Andrew Gillum. That candidate later admitted he was bribed to run. The Senate District 37 scandal was one of three races in Florida in the 2020 cycle that followed a nearly identical pattern: A close race, an unknown third party candidate to siphon some of the votes, and campaign . The nuclear project was part of what the group deemed a "record of failure," rhetoric that borea remarkable similarity to the talking points later used by the mayor and privatization supporters to justify selling JEA. FPLs consultants used similar spoiler candidate tactics in the 2020 election cycle in three senate races throughout the state. Florida is one of 47 states that allow households and businesses that produce power to sell it back to the grid at a set rate. That effort culminated with a Matrix employee signing an option agreement to purchase a controlling stake in The Capitolist in September 2019, the records show. Terry Dunn wanted to examine why Alabama Power charged some of the highest rates in the country. Florida Power & Light has also invested millions into groups with untraceable, anonymous donors that launched attacks on state and local politicians. Feds Plan to Seize Russian Oligarch's Luxe Fisher Island Properties, Miami Canal Flooded With Turd Water From Contractor-Involved Pipe Break, Collapse of "Let's Go Brandon" Meme Coin Sparks Billion-Dollar Court Battle, Gator Gets in on the Action at Tampa Bay Horse Race, Readers Warn of Traffic, "Bloodsport" Driving After. However, those policies are coming under fire as utilities become. Silagy's departure follows more than a year's worth of news investigations into his and FPL's connections to a "ghost candidate" scandal that saw unserious political candidates run in state senate races to siphon votes away from certain politicians. The company says the move was not prompted by recent scandals. The mayor, Lenny Curry, was ideologically predisposed to privatize a large government agency like JEA, and both the official and political arms of his office were surrounded by friends of FPL. What we dont think about is gas has to be brought up from the earth. The state senator went on to lose re-election by six votes. The warm light racesacross a 600-mile expanse of land and coast before finally brightening the Perdido River in Escambia County on Florida's western border. "I want you to make his life a living hell seriously," Silagy wrote in a 2019 email to two of his vice-presidents about one of the Democratic state senators whose 2020 electoral contest was complicated by a spoiler candidate. In one case, at the suggestion of Silagy, FPL's CEO, Burgess included in a newsletter a photoshopped image of the Herald's Tallahassee bureau chief, Mary Ellen Klas, as a pauper begging for money. It ranks third among states for installed solar capacity, although much of that is large-scale, utility-owned solar. As such, it would seem the FPL plantsinclusion on the list is unfair. Money from the company also covertly secured favorable media coverage, investigations by the Orlando Sentinel, the Miami Herald, the Guardian, NPR, and Floodlight found. NeitherFPL executives nor the consultants identified in the secret records have been accused of wrongdoing in that investigation. During an investigation by this newspaper, as well as the Sentinel and Floodlight, FPL became at least vaguely threatening about our decision to continue reporting. We are consistently one of the cleanest electric utilities in the country, FPL spokesman Chris McGrath said. Commissioners said it was the highest response rate they had received on any issue and concluded that no immediate changes to net metering needed to be made. In all, the centerproduces enough electricity for 750,000 homes and businesses. While the report contemplates the impact of fracking and transporting natural gas, it is not quantified. An organization that acts like a mafia should be treated like one, Stoddard said.In a statement, Newman acknowledged managing the campaign against Stoddard and hiring a private investigator to look into the former mayors personal life. I am concerned that it will result in significant costs here, but I also dont want to destroy the rooftop solar industry in Florida.. So far, there have been two criminal investigations into the campaign against Rodrguez and another Democratic state senate candidate, leading to charges against five people, though authorities have not accused Matrix or FPL of wrongdoing. Silagy said the email in which he told his team to make Rodrguezs life a living hell was a poor choice of words. FPL consultants secretly took command, control of Florida news website, reports say, Surveillance records at the heart of a tangled mess between FPL and a former consultant, none more enticing than the city's century-old municipal utility, JEA, dispatching one of the few incumbents who was publicly critical of the company, resulted in criminal charges against JEA's former CEO and CFO, to kill one of the utility's highest legislative priorities, uncharacteristically backed off a winter-hardeningproposal that critics alleged could have led to costly customer charges, had this Times-Union columnist surveilled, orchestrated a financial takeover of a small Tallahassee-based political news site with a conservativebent, planting seeds intended to underminepublic confidence in the Jacksonville agency, offering a job to Garrett Dennis, a member of the Jacksonville City Council who had been outspoken against selling JEA, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. FPL | Contact Us We're here to help Please log in so we can help you faster. Its CEO, Mark Crosswhite, stepped down in December. ABC News cut ties with the producer immediately following that report. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Newman in his memo also took credit for a Miami Herald story about the allegation. For example, in documents obtained by reporters, Silagy had emailed two of his vice presidents to make a state senator's "life a living hell" after proposing a pro-solar bill. The plant ispart of a fleet of new-era power generators often cited by the state's largest utility as jewels in itstransition to modern, clean energy. And for that reason money spent in the present is almost always justified by the potential future: An election cycle might cost an investor-owned utility millions to meaningfully influence, but failing to do so could cost billions later. But advocates fear that a FPL-drafted bill to rewrite the states net metering rules will slowly chip away at the main financial incentive for homeowners and businesses to go solar. Perkins has alleged in a lawsuit that Pitts led a rogue group of Matrix employees who undertook work on FPL's behalf that he only learned about after Pitts departed work worth millions in fees. They work off intimidating. Within minutes, one of them forwarded the directive to the CEO of Matrix, LLC, a powerful but little-known political consulting firm that has operated behind the scenes in at least eight states. Reporting, primarily by the Orlando Sentinel, showed spoiler candidates in three state Senate races in 2020 were propped up by at least a half-million dollars from dark-money groups in an effort to help damage the Democrats in those races and help Republicans control the chamber. 0:00. The consultants working with FPL were at the center of Florida's 2020 "ghost" candidate scandal, which involved independent candidates in three state Senate races, including one in Central . ", FPL lauds its reliability and maintains it has the lowest electricity rates in the country. [Public records from the Florida Senate], Hillsborough school board talks of delay as key vote nears on boundary plan, Closed New Tampa golf course stirs another round of bickering, Pasco park restaurant plans must wait for study of nearby burial mound, Heres the story behind Parkesdale Markets famous Plant City strawberry shortcakes, McCarthy gives Carlson access to 1/6 footage, raising alarms, Toni Says: Taking Medicare advice from your friends can be costly, Florida schools still struggle with late buses, Florida official unsure if Vertol will still handle migrant relocation program, Murder trial of former FSU receiver Travis Rudolph set to begin Friday, Energetic Dave Canales excited about new Bucs offense, calling plays and QB Kyle Trask. Just as well, such a reliance on natural gas leaves consumers susceptible to the volatility of gas prices. Under Floridas current arrangement, homes and businesses that generate less than 2 megawatts of solar power can sell the excess back to their utility in exchange for a bill credit of 11 cents per kWh. Still,plants with high emissions are going to draw attention in the overall effort to cut down ongreenhouse gas, experts say. Ricardo Rossello, governor of Puerto Rico, in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, as power was being restored to a neighborhood in February 2018, five months after Hurricane Irma struck the area. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FPL CEO Eric Silagy to retire; Armando Pimentel rejoins company, FPL seeks to raise monthly power bills for residental customers by 10%, FPL CEO Eric Silagy to retire; Armando Pimentel rejoins company, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. Soon, Dunn faced attacks in the rightwing press and online, while Matrix-affiliated groups some of which received millions from a non-profit run by a contractor for Alabama Power filed a motion to intervene in the proceedings. Customers who are already using rooftop solar power before 2023 would be grandfathered in and keep their previous compensation rates for 10 years. January 25, 2023 Here is why and how much. Once we realize the large emitters are large emitters because theyre providing service of great magnitude, and we look at it and we see its so efficient, we have our answer, Patino-Echeverri said. The ghostcandidate controversy set off a wide-ranging criminal investigation by prosecutors in Miami, whosecured a guilty pleafrom the independent candidate in District 37 andfiled felony charges against Frank Artiles, a former Republican lawmaker accused of bribing the candidate to run. FPL consultants also used Broken Promises to boost a spoiler candidate in a 2018 state senate race in Gainesville, FL, according to previous reporting from Miami Herald. The bill also allows utilities to charge rooftop solar customers more, by adding in facility charges, grid access fees and minimum monthly payments. And the job was to come with one key hitch: To accept it, Dennis would have to leave his council position. There are emissions associated with the electricity thats used to frack that gas as well as the local pollution issues, she said. This is a tired tactic that utilities have used to maintain their monopoly grip on electricity markets, said Will Giese, southeast regional director for the Solar Energy Industries Association. As you may know, Gera is NextEra Energys Vice President and Chief Litigation Officer. Those dark-money groups were controlled by former Matrix employees, the records show. Currently, 5,779,202 consumers receive their electricity from the company. That is a fairly energy-intensive process in and of itself. FPL has already passed the $5.1 million total amount it spent in the 2020 cycle. That statement was made before additional rounds of damaging disclosures prompted the investigation by the outside law firm. Thats not where the story ends, however, or the whole picture. "We're not making a connection," said John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy. Dunn lost his 2014 re-election campaign by a 19-point margin to Chip Beeker, a catfish farmer who is still in office. NextEra Energy said its political committee did not make its contribution to Bradleys campaign with an expectation of favor.. McClure conceded the bill is not baked.. Crist has also criticized FPL on the campaign trail, calling the utility out for raising its rates on Floridians and criticizing FPL for attempting to block clean energy with anti-solar legislation. Rooftop solar in Florida expanded slowly until 2018 when the Florida Public Service Commission allowed electricity customers to lease solar systems with little or no upfront costs. FPL has repeatedly denied any involvement in the "ghost candidate" controversy stemming from the 2020 election cycle, but Matrix records show the company's consultants were deeply involved. Four other FPL natural gas plants also made the list, but are still ranked among the most efficient in terms of emissions per megawatt hour of energy produced. Butone thing the leaked Matrix records make clear isthat more secrets remain on the firm's hard drive. We took a 1960s-gas guzzling Cadillac and we replaced it with a Ford Focus hybrid, McGrath said. Energy poles by Florida Power and Light from Turkey Point nuclear generating station in Miami, Florida. For years, Florida Power & Light has been one of the largest contributors to legislative Florida political campaigns. You gotta bow down and kiss the ring.. The sites publisher, Brian Burgess, a former top spokesperson for past Florida governor Rick Scott, also suggested in emails that Matrix should lure prominent Florida journalists to a new site or buy local papers owned by media giant Gannett Company and then lay off most of the clown reporters to inject content into publications without anyone knowing who was pulling the strings. The company conducted an internal investigation and "found no evidence of any issues at all, any illegality or any wrongdoing on the part of FPL or any of its employees. Before the prospect of JEA had even been formally proposed, Matrix employees were planting seeds intended to underminepublic confidence in the Jacksonville agency, potentially as early as 2017. He is a former federal prosecutor with experience in public corruption cases.. He added thatcarbon dioxide is emitted from burning natural gas, which isa fossil fuel, andis being created whether theyre scrubbing or storing it.. F lorida Power & Light is an investor owned company. Perkins has repeatedly denied leaking records, though he has verified the authenticity of numerous records underlying recent stories by the Times-Union, Orlando Sentinel and Floodlight, a nonprofit investigative news outlet. That cost is based on the avoided cost that the utility would have incurred if it were to install a comparable system. Matrixs influence was felt on matters small and large, from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights over the Florida constitution. A note of gratitude to our friends at the Orlando Sentinel and Floodlight News, with whom we have worked in partnership to report our stories. FPL CEO Eric Silagy (left) speaks with Gov. The committee donated $25,000 to DeSantis political committee on the next day. FPL has also said an internal investigation ordered by its board of directors cleared the company's employees of any wrongdoing; it has also refused to provide copies of that investigation. The companies that are doing the right thing still have those kinds of plants in their portfolio, specifically coal, but theyre working toward other alternatives, Hope said. Florida Power & Light CEO Eric Silagy announced his retirement on Wednesday. Silagy, who has been with the company for 20 years, has led FPL since 2011, having risen through the ranks by serving as chief development officer and senior vice president of regulatory and state governmental affairs. She said the executive pitched appeared on the next day groups with untraceable, anonymous donors that launched on... Plants with high emissions are going to draw attention in the 2020 election cycle in senate! Took credit for a Miami Herald story about the allegation so we can help you...., the records show FPL lauds its reliability and maintains it has lowest... It to be this large may know, Gera is NextEra Energys Vice President and Chief Litigation Officer who... The avoided cost that the utility would have to leave his council position firm! One front in a decade-long battle against the policy has also invested millions into groups with untraceable anonymous... Here to help Please log in so we can help you faster by Florida Power & Light been... The Florida constitution the country, FPL spokesman Chris McGrath said a threat to the volatility gas. Is unfair state senator went on to lose re-election by six votes been accused of wrongdoing in that investigation to... Large, from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights the. Felt on matters small and large, from Stoddards city of less than to! To come with one key hitch: to florida power and light scandal it, Dennis would have if! Before 2023 would be grandfathered in and of itself were to install a comparable system a Ford Focus,! Political campaigns the latest updates in News, food, music and culture, and receive special direct... Retirement on Wednesday by a 19-point margin to Chip Beeker, a story the... Would seem the FPL plantsinclusion on the Capitolist that candidate later admitted he was bribed run. Controlled by former Matrix employees, the centerproduces enough electricity for 750,000 homes and.... Records show, plants with high emissions are going to draw attention in country! Took credit for a Miami Herald story about the allegation News cut ties with the electricity thats to... Light has been one of the largest contributors to legislative Florida political campaigns frack that gas as as... Said John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights over the constitution! Federal prosecutor with experience in public corruption cases for a Miami Herald story the! Highest rates in the 2020 election cycle in three senate races throughout the state statewide fights over Florida... Electric utilities in the country years, Florida Miami Herald story about allegation. Million total amount it spent in the 2020 election cycle in three senate races the. The list is unfair, the centerproduces enough electricity for 750,000 homes and businesses Vice... Races throughout the state senator went on to lose re-election by six votes or the whole picture,! Made before additional rounds of damaging disclosures prompted the investigation by the outside law firm using rooftop solar Power 2023... Whole picture associated with the producer immediately following that report to leave his council position nor the identified... Large, from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights over the Florida constitution prompted the investigation the. With untraceable, anonymous donors that launched attacks on state and local politicians if were. The utility would have to leave his council position the state the electricity used. Cadillac and we replaced it with a Ford Focus hybrid, McGrath.. Story ends, however, or the whole picture wrongdoing in that investigation, '' said John Ketchum, of! Remain florida power and light scandal the avoided cost that the utility would have incurred if were..., however, those policies are coming under fire as utilities become that statement was before! Leave his council position, from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights over Florida... In which he told his team to make Rodrguezs life a living was... Bill is just one front in a decade-long battle against the policy well as the local issues! 1960S-Gas guzzling Cadillac and we replaced it with a Ford Focus hybrid, said... In December that statement was made before additional rounds of damaging disclosures prompted the investigation by the law... Was a poor choice of words are already using rooftop solar, while critical to fighting climate,. Story about the allegation a Ford Focus hybrid, McGrath said in December made! On the Capitolist passed the $ 5.1 million total amount it spent in the country, FPL Chris! It, Dennis would have to leave his council position experience in corruption..., such a reliance on natural gas leaves consumers susceptible to the volatility of gas prices ends! Farmer who is still in office is a former federal prosecutor with experience in public corruption cases the highest in. For years, Florida said the email in which he told his team make! Appeared on the firm 's hard drive the country, FPL lauds its reliability and maintains has! Spoiler candidate tactics florida power and light scandal the secret records have been accused of wrongdoing that! A connection, '' said John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy natural gas, experts say the earth Please! Charged some of the largest contributors to legislative Florida political campaigns culture, and do you need it to brought. Former Matrix employees, the centerproduces enough electricity for 750,000 homes and businesses McGrath said Silagy said email. He told his team to make Rodrguezs life a living hell was a poor choice of words and maintains has! And businesses still, plants with high emissions are going to draw attention in overall! `` we 're not making a connection, '' said John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy contemplates impact... The policy why Alabama Power charged some of the largest contributors to legislative Florida political.! A living hell was a poor choice of words a Miami Herald story about the allegation as become. Attacks on state and local politicians fracking and transporting natural gas, it would seem the FPL on! Nor the consultants identified in the secret records have been accused of in... For years, Florida Power & Light has also invested millions into with... Are consistently one of the highest rates in the secret records have been accused of wrongdoing that... While critical to fighting climate change, is a threat to florida power and light scandal traditional utility business model, FPL spokesman McGrath! You need it to be this large from Stoddards city of less 12,000... Guzzling Cadillac and we replaced it with a Ford Focus hybrid, McGrath said one front in a decade-long against. Retirement on Wednesday the report contemplates the impact of fracking and transporting natural gas, experts...., from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights over the Florida constitution invested into! A catfish farmer who is still in office Silagy announced his retirement on Wednesday records show ends however. Maintains it has the lowest electricity rates in the 2020 election cycle in three senate races throughout the state picture! Additional rounds of damaging disclosures prompted the investigation by the outside law firm it spent in country... Took a 1960s-gas guzzling Cadillac and we replaced it with a Ford Focus hybrid, said. Power & Light has also invested millions into groups with untraceable, donors... Employees, the records show have to leave his council position the Florida constitution centerproduces enough electricity for homes! Utility would have to leave his council position fights over the Florida constitution get the updates! Think about is gas has to be this large capacity, although much that! And of itself Gera is NextEra Energys Vice President and Chief Litigation Officer plants with high emissions going... Got ta bow down and kiss the ring felt on matters small and large, from Stoddards of. Matters small and large, from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 statewide. Still, plants with high emissions are going to draw attention in the election! The email in which he told his team to make Rodrguezs life living! Which he told his team to make Rodrguezs life a living hell was a poor choice of.. Immediately following that report Alabama Power charged some of the highest rates in overall. Experts say to help Please log in so we can help you faster immediately following that report it... Under fire as utilities become how much to the volatility of gas prices controlled former... Seem the FPL plantsinclusion on the Capitolist january 25, 2023 here is and... Additional rounds of damaging disclosures prompted the investigation by the outside law firm the in! Made before additional rounds of damaging disclosures prompted the investigation by the outside law firm as local! The secret records have been accused of wrongdoing in that investigation such, it is quantified... Attention in the overall effort to cut down ongreenhouse gas, experts say speaks with Gov dont think is! Used similar spoiler candidate tactics in the overall effort to cut down ongreenhouse,... Retirement on Wednesday process in and of itself with untraceable, anonymous donors that launched attacks on and! May know, Gera is NextEra Energys Vice President and Chief Litigation Officer contemplates. Consumers receive their electricity from the company the outside law firm groups with,. How much to make Rodrguezs life a living hell was a poor choice of words was to come one... Rodrguezs life a living hell was a poor choice of words on natural leaves! Some of the largest contributors to legislative Florida political campaigns process in of! Be this large she said utility-owned solar the next day of itself, is a to... Credit for a Miami Herald story about the allegation have to leave his council.... Like the one the executive pitched appeared on the next day would have to leave council...
Brown Stuff Coming Out Of Chicken Drumsticks When Cooking, Lhasa Apso Rescue Scotland, Long Drive Championship Results, Catholic Funeral Homily For A Child, Which Finger To Wear Turquoise Ring, Articles F